The tabulation process at all levels should be fully transparent for party representatives and observers. Observers should be able to witness the data being uploaded or entered into the tabulation computers. If observers have collected results protocols from polling stations, they should be able to verify that these figures have been properly recorded at each higher level of the tabulation process. The full tabulation from the central level down to the polling station should be publicly available on the Internet in an easily verifiable format.

Opening source code to public review increases the likelihood that software flaws and vulnerabilities will be eliminated before they can be exploited in a real-world election.

Appropriate cryptography protocols, file integrity checks, and mathematical proofs of system accuracy can be included to further assure the public that election data is secure and properly tabulated.

Open-source systems can also be designed to export relevant data such as scanned ballot images and cast vote records to provide evidence to the public.